dealer.dpp(6)

NAME

   dealer.dpp - preprocessor for dealer scripts

SYNOPSIS

   dealer.dpp [inputfile]

DESCRIPTION

   dealer.dpp stands for dealer-pre-processor. Its main purpose it to
   preprocess input files for Hans van Staveren's great dealer program.

SYNTAX

   The program expands shape specifications of the form:

       shape{COMPASS, shp1 + shp2 + ... + shpM - shm1 - ... - shmN}

   regular shapes
   7xxx, 4432, 4xx5 have the same meaning as in original dealer.

   the `at least' operator
   whenever you put a `+' after a suit-length, it means `at least'.

       shape{north, 5+xx5+}: at least 5/5 in the blacks,
    -->shape(north,5xx5 + 5xx6 + 6xx5 + 5xx7 + 6xx6 + 7xx5 + 5008 + 6007
                   + 7006 + 8005)

   the `at most' operator:
   same as the `at least', just use a `-':

       shape{north, 2-xxx}: at most 2 spades,
    -->shape(north,0xxx + 1xxx + 2xxx)

   the `range' operator:
   the range operator operates on a single suit. It comes with [], like in
   Perl.

       shape{north, x[3-5]x[13]}: (3 to 5) hearts, and one or 3 clubs
    -->shape(north,x3x1 + x4x1 + x3x3 + x5x1 + x4x3 + x5x3)

   Note that shape{north, 3-xxx} is equivalent to shape{north,[0-3]xxx}
   You can write compound ranges if you want:

       shape{north, [013-68]xxx} means: 0,1,3,4,5,6 or 8 spades.

   the `permutation' operator:
   the permutation operator will appears as () like in the WBF rules of
   specifying shapes.

       shape{north, (4432)}: any 4432 hand.
    -->shape(north,any 4432)

   what's best is that the () operator can operate on restricted groups of
   cards:

       shape{north, 5s(431)}: 5 spades, the others suits being (431).
    -->shape(north,5134 + 5314 + 5143 + 5341 + 5413 + 5431)

   What you have to do is:

   *   specify the suit names (s,h,d,c in english) in the left part of the
       shape, in any order,

   *   and enclose the rest of the permutation into () in the right part.

   A (complicated) example:

       shape{north, 4+c3+d(2+2+)}: at least 5 clubs, at least 3 diamonds,
                                  and no short major.
    -->shape(north,3334 + 4234 + 2434 + 3244 + 2344 + 2254 + 3235 + 2335 + 2245 + 2236)

   the `Major' operator:
   has to be used together with the () operator. `M' stands for `a major'
   The `M' operator can only be used in the left part (never put a M
   inside the parens)

       shape{north, 5M(xxx)}
    -->shape(north,x5xx + 5xxx)

       shape{north, 5+M3+c(31)}
    -->shape(north,1534 + 3514 + 1633 + 3613 + 5134 + 5314 + 6133 + 6313)

   the `minor' operator:
   same as the `Major' operator, but in lowercase `m'.

       shape{north, 5M5m(xx)}
    -->shape(north,x5x5 + 5xx5 + x55x + 5x5x)

   the `conditional' operator:
   you've got the possibility of specifying complex conditions to be
   verified that cannot be simply expressed by other operators. In order
   to do that, you use the `:' operator, just after the atomic-shape
   specification:

       shape{north, shp1:condition1,condition2,...}

   The conditions use the letters (s,h,d,c) as variables for the suit
   lengths, and the usual C-operators (*,+,-,/,>,<,==,!,?, and so on).
   Note that the `,' stands for the `and-logical' operator. You can use
   `or' for the `or-logical' operator.

       shape{north, 4+s4+h(xx):d>c,h+s==10}
    -->shape(north,6421 + 6430 + 5521 + 5530 + 4621 + 4630)

EXAMPLES

   a balanced hand
        (3+3+3+2+)

   a french 1H opening
        x5+xx:h>s,h>=d,h>=c

   my No_trump opening
        hn = hcp(north)
        n1NT = (hn > 14 and hn < 18 and shape{north, 5m(332) + 5m2s(42)} )
            or (hn > 13 and hn < 17 and shape{north, 6m(322)}            )
            or (hn > 15 and hn < 18 and shape{north, 5M(332)}            )
            or (hn > 15 and hn < 19 and shape{north, (4432) + (4333)}    )

SEE ALSO

   dealer(6), /usr/share/doc/dealer/Manual.

AUTHORS

   Francois Dellacherie
   Manpage: Christoph Berg <[email protected]>

LICENSE

   This program is hereby put in the public domain. Do with it whatever
   you want, but I would like you not to redistribute it in modified form
   without mentioning the fact of modification. I will accept bug reports
   and modification requests, without any obligation of course, but fixing
   bugs someone else put in is beyond me.

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